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Lancelot
Among all of the formidable fighters present at Camelot, none of them could equal the raw fighting power of Sir Lancelot. Lancelot du Lac ('Lancelot of the Lake') was in many respects the right hand of King Arthur himself, so proficient in the use of a sword that even King Arthur himself could not always best Lancelot in a duel. Given Lancelot's chivalrous nature and exceptional swordsmanship, it is no small irony that he is the one who triggered events which would lead to the downfall of King Arthur himself and the dissolution of Camelot. Facts: -There are contradictory stories of Lancelot's origins. In some stories, he is the son of a French nobleman with holdings in England. In other tales. he is called 'Lancelot from across the Sea' (ie, Ireland). -Whatever his origins, Lancelot shows up in the earliest texts concerning Camelot's knights. His name always appears among the top, clearly indicating his importance. -It appears that during his childhood, Lancelot's father was slain in battle with his enemies, and Lancelot's life was at stake. He was saved by the mysterious Lady of the Lake who whisked the young Lancelot away and raised him herself. -Although a mortal human, Lancelot grew up spending more time among Fey than among his fellow humans. He was thoroughly versed in the ways of the Fey and it is no surprise that he was eventually inducted into the Order of Fey. -Lancelot performs many wonderful feats, including the slaying of a massive fire-breathing dragon (all by himself), resisting the sexual advances of Morgan la Fey, and defeating all of the other Knights of the Round (including, at one point, Arthur himself!). -Unfortunately, the Fey are known for having a problem with their impulse control, and it appears this bad habit was picked up by Lancelot. Lancelot fell passionately in love with Queen Guinevere, wife of King Arthur. In time, their adultery was made manifest, and when Guinevere was put to the stake for her adultery, Lancelot rescued her. -Regrettably, in order to save Guinevere, Lancelot had to attack several of his fellow Knights of the Round in order to so. Several of them died from their wounds, including one of the brothers of Sir Gawain. This broke the bond between Lancelot and Gawain (and the other knights too) and forever after Lancelot's name was a byword in Camelot. -Lancelot took Guinevere far away from Camelot where they lived out the rest of their lives. Guinevere, grief-stricken over what had happened, sought penance by joining a convent. Lancelot eventually did the same, and both of them ended their days as members of religious communities. -Even after what happened, when word reached Lancelot that Gawain had died, Lancelot spent days in mourning. -Similarly, when Guinevere died, Lancelot made the dangerous trip of taking her body back to be buried alongside that of Arthur's. -Lancelot himself asked to be buried at Joyous Gard, the place of his upbringing. -Despite the tragedy that besmirched his legacy as a knight, Lancelot is remembered for being close to a perfect knight. He is a major historical figure for the Order of Fey operating within the KotR. References: -https://pantheon.org/articles/l/lancelot.html Category:Fey Category:Knights Of The Round Category:War